Hawaii has become the first state to officially begin exploring the possibility of a universal basic income (UBI) after a bill requesting the creation of a “basic economic security working group” recently passed both houses of the state legislature.
The bill “boldly declares that all families in Hawaii deserve basic financial security.”
—State Rep. Chris Lee (D)A UBI would, if passed, guarantee every resident a fixed income, regardless of their employment status or any other factors that come into play with welfare programs like food stamps and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF).
Numerous countries have experimented with a basic income, but the idea has never gained much traction in the United States.
The Hawaii bill was put forth by State Rep. Chris Lee (D), who in a Reddit post on Thursday explained the motivations behind the measure and the ambitions driving the movement demanding economic justice for all.
“I introduced House Concurrent Resolution 89 this year to start a conversation about our future,” Lee wrote.
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